Apparatus suitable for drying, heating, cooling, or ventilating.



T. G. MARLOW. APPARATUS SUITABLE FOR DRYING, HEATING, 000mm, 0R

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11, 1912.

Patented July 7, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

VENTILATING.

'I'Hh' \ORRIS PETERS CU. FHO'IOJJTHOH WASHINGTON I). L

T. G. MARLOW.

DRYING HEATING, COOLING, 0R VENTILATING.

APPARATUS SUITABLE FOR APPLICATION FILED 133.11, 1912.

Patented July 7, 1914.

5 snnms-snnm 2.

llllllllllllll THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D K

T. G. MARLOW. APPARATUS SUITABLE FOR DRYING, HEATING, COOLING, 0R VENTILATING. 1,102,599.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11, 1912.

Patented July 7,1914.

6 SHEET8SHBET 3.

T; G. MARLOW.

APPARATUS SUITABLE FOR. DRYING, HEATING, COOLING, OR VENTILATING. APPLICATION FILED A'PR. 11I 1912.

1,102,599. Patented July 7, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO., PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C.

T. G. MARLOW. APPARATUS SUITABLE FOR. DRYING, HEATiNG, 000mm; 0? VBNTILATING.

APPLICATION rum) APB..11. 1912. v 1 ,102,599, Patented July 7, 1914,

A 5 sums-sum 5.

'U NITEI) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS GIIBBONS MAR-LOW, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE PULSOMETER ENGINEERING COMPANY LIMITED, OF READING, ENGLAND. V

APPARATUS SUITABLEFOR DRYING, r EA'rING, COOLING", on VENTILATING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

one or more chambers (hereinafter referred to as the operating chamber) containing the material to be treated, or fluid to be moved, so as to produce a plenum in such chamber and afterward ithdrawing air therefrom so as 'to produce a rarefaction therein, these operationsbeing repeated as often "asmay be necessary to attain the desired result. g

The primary object of the present invention is to enable'the method aforesaid to be modified, when necessary, by causing the air within the chamber to move along or circulate in the chamber while a plenum 'isproduced therein, or while a rarefaction is produced therein, or both when a plenum and when a rarefaction have been produced therein, and likewise to enable the direction of the air currents to be'reversed, if necessary, for the purpose of enabling the conditione'd air the better to come into intimate and effective contact with the material under treatment.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple and cheap constructions of apparatus for the purpose in View. To this end, there are employed in conjunction with the operating chamber, a single fluid. eX- hausting and blowing device, such as a" fan, and an air controlling arrangementso constructed that air can be delivered from the fan into the operating chamber while the outlet thereof is closed, so as to produce a plenum therein and so that air can afterward be withdrawn from the chamber while the inlet thereof is closed so as to produce a rarefaction therein. To enable circulation or movement of air to take place in the chamber and among the goods therein when a plenum is produced therein, or when a rarefaction is produced therein, the air controlling arrangement is so constructed that the inlet and outlet of the operating chamber can, atthe required times, be placed simultaneously in connection respectively with the delivery and suction ducts of the fan. To enable the direction of the air currents to be reversed, the air controller maybe so constructed as to allow of the simultaneous connection of the inlet of the operating chamber to the suction of the fan and the outletof the operating chamber to the delivery of the fan.

An air controlling arrangement to act in either of the ways described can be constructed in various forms.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l isa side elevation and Fig. 2 a plan of one constructional arrangement adapted to enable a plenum and then a rarefaction to be produced in a chamber with a circulation of the air in each circumstance. Fig. 3 is an end viewof the rotary part of the air controller with its stationary casing in section. Fig. 4111 s a horizontal section of the ail-con troll'er. Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. ,4

andFigs. 6 and 7 are vertical sections corresponding to the lines A A and B B respectively of Fig. 5, showing a construction of reversible air controller. Fig. 8 is a View showing diagrammatically a modified arrangement. A

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the air controller comprises a casing a having 'two lateral branches 7) and c for'permanentconnection to the suction and delivery ducts e and f respectively of a fan 9, two branches hand i for connection to the inlet and outlet respectively of the operating chamber, part of which is shown at A, and separate suction and delivery branches j and 70 carried by the respective end walls a a of the easing a, each of these walls havinga hole or port m therethrough (Figs, 1 and 4) communicating with the corresponding separate suction or delivery branch j or In. Mounted to revolve centrally within a cylindrical portion a of'tlie casing a is a shaft 0 carrying valves, namely a suction valve p and a delivery valve r, each in the form of a bucket or pocket shaped device arranged lengthwise of the shaft and carried by an outer disks, arranged to revolve in close contact with the adjacent ported end Wall a or a of the casing a, and by an intermediate disk o common to the two valves, one

end of each bucket shaped device being I Patented July 7, 1914.

Application filed April 11, 1912. SerialNo. 690,210.

closed asby'th intermediate disk 4), and the'other being open and in line witha hole or port .8 in the corresponding disk 8. The

outer peripheral edges u of each valve 79 and i r are arranged to revolve in close proximity to the interior of the cylindrical portion a of the easinga. The shaft 0 may be driven in any desired way. Oonvenientlyflt may be driven at a comparatively slowand continuous speed through reduction gearing at g from the shaft .9 of the fan 9 so that it acts automatically.

The hole m in each end wall d ,or a of the casing a. and the hole 8 in the adjacent valve disk 8 may be of any suitable shape and size, and the bucket or pocket shaped devices p and rbe spaced apart and be of such size in a.circumferentialdirection, as

to enable the desired air control to be Ob?- ln the example shown, the two atingv chamber, the vair so drawn in being discharged into the operating chamber through the (controller casing a past. the delivery valve'rwhich will then be .ina position to'allow of free communication between the fan and operating chamber, a plenum being then set up inthelatter. This condition obtains when the rotary ,Valves are in the position illustrated, that is to say,

whe-n the valve 7) is; at position 1 in Fig.3. On continued, rotation of the combined valves 79 and r in the direction of the arrow at to position 2, the disks will close communica tion with theexternal space'through the suction branch jand place the suction branch 6 of the fan in direct communication with the operating chamber while the latter will be in direct communication with the delivery branch f of the fan so that the air under pressure Wlll be caused to circulate or move through the operating chamber and among goods therein. Afte1' this has continued for a predetermined time, and the valves arrive in position 3, the disk 8 will disconnect the delivery passage f of the fan from the operating chamber and place'it in communication with the external space through the port m inthe adjacent side a? of the casing a and the separate delivery branch (Fig. 2) so that air will then be withdrawn from the chamber and discharged into the external space, a rarefaction being thus set up-in the said chamber that will facilitate evaporation of moisture from the assuming them to be molst. v a a continued for the required time, the-valves oods jtherein, Kfter this has will have arrived in position 4 in which the delivery branch f of the "fan is again in communication "with the operating" chamber while that chamber is in communication with the exhaust passage e ofthefan" so that rarefied: air within the chamber willbe caused to circulate or move therein. Upon further rotation of the combined valves-they will arrivein position .1 again when the above described operations will be repeated. The. operation or arrangement of the valves may be such that the operating chamberlwill only be placed; in communication at the same time with the suction and delivery of the fan, for causing circulation of air in the chamber, while a plenum, or while a rarefaction, exists in the chamber. For this purpose inthe first case the .combined valves 79 and 7" may be moved rapidly, from position 3 to position 1 in .the direction of the arrow'm (Fig. 3); so as, notto remain in position 4, and in the second case the valves may bej moved rapidly from position 1 to position 3 so as not to remain in position 2) Or the, operation or arrangement of thecontroller may be such that both the, inlet and out-let ofthe chamber are never Simultane ously inconnection with the deliveryand suction'ofthe fan for a sufiicient time to enable continuous circulation of :air to be set up in thechamber. This may be effected by moving the valves and? rapidly. from osition 1 to position?) and from the latter position back to position 1. q

l/Vhenit is desired to reversethe direction of the air circulating in theoperatingchamber, the air controller is adapted to connect the inlet and outlet of the operating chainber to the suction and delivery of'the fan at the required times, This maybe done in the cases of an air controller such'asherenrbefore described,'by arranging within the cylindrical casing, between the suction and delivery valves hereinbefore referred to, a partition or distance piece having cross-over ports orpassages adapted to effect, with the aid of suitableva-lves, as through ports in the inner end walls'thereof the desired connections at the requiredtimes. This is eX- emplifiedin Figs. 5 to, 7 where there a rearranged between the branches 5 and 2'. of the air controller three bucket shaped devices 19;;

791,19 carried by rotary disks s s and between the branches 0 and h three bucket shaped devices r, 1, 1' carried by rotary disks 8*, 8 the several disks being fixed to the rotary shaft 0. Between the disksfs? and s are two stationary plates 23, t formed with pairs of ports, that are connected by cross connected passages w and w end walls a a of the casing a are formed with ports an, .as before, communicating The.

chamber.

disks have moved through another eighth,

with branches j and 7c, and the disks 8 and s have openings 8 therein at the outer sides of the devices p and r to register with the ports m at the required time, as in the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. The devices 19 and p are closed at their outer sides by the disk 8 but are open at their inner sides through ports 8 that are out in the disk 8 and arranged to simultaneously register with the reversing ports and passages w, 10 at the required times.

The devices 7' and r are closed at their outer sides-by the disk 8 but are open at their inner sides through ports thatare cut in the disk st and arranged to simultaneously register with the reversing ports and passages 10,40 at the required times. I With the construction and arrangement of parts described, when the connected rotary valve devices and disks, rotating in the direction" and branches i andh with the operating chamber so that the air under plenum will be circulated through that chamber in the direction in which the air was previously delivered into, that chamber. When the valve devices and disks have movedthrough another eighth of a revolution, the valve devices 10 ,19 and r 1' will reverse the con nections between the'suction and delivery branches Z) and c of the fan and the branches 6 and h of the chamber through the reversing passages w and to so that the air under plenum will then be circulated in the opposite direction through the operating chamber. When the valve devices have moved through another two eighths of a revolution, air will be drawn from the operating:

chamber direct through the branches i and b and casing 03 and delivered through branch 0, valve device 4 and port m and branch: k to the exterior'of the air controller, thereby producing a rarefaction in the operating When the valve devices and of a revolution,the branches 6 and a will be in direct communication through the casinga with the branches i and h and-rarefied air will be. circulated through the operating chamber in the direction in which the air was withdrawn from the chamber to produce rarefaction. .VVhen the said valve devices and disks have moved through another eighth of a revolution, the valve devices 39 reheat the air flowing therethrough. paratus constructed and operating as hereor places, for exampleundergrourid tube railways i it p and 9, W will reverse the connections between. the branches 6 and cof the fan and. the branches 11 and h of the chamber through the reversing passage to and 'w sothat the rarefied air will be caused to circulate inthe reverse direction through the chamber.

Upon the valve devices and disks moving through anothertwoeighths of'a revolution the above described operation will recommence. i j

The separate suction branch jot the air controller may be placed in communication with the external atmosphere, or with; a source from which conditioned air, (which expression is intended to include heated or coo-leddry or moist air or steam) can be drawn as may be desired. Or the separate suction and delivery branches'j and is re spectively may be both connected to the ex ternal atmosphere as in the arrangement hereinbefore, described. Or. they may be connected up with heating, drying or cooling apparatus, or with heating and drying apparatus, to form a closed circuit withthe fan. Thus, Fig.v 8 shows apparatus of the kind hereinbefore described having its branches 7' and is connected in series'witha refrigerator 1 toremove' moisture from the airflowingtherethrough, and aheater 2 to inbefore described may also be used for ventilating roomsor other "confined spaces lVhatIclaim is: y 1. In combination, an operatin chamber, a fan, and controlllng means a dapted,'in

one position, to connect the delivery of the fan to the operating chamber to establish a plenum therein, and, in another position,

to maintain the delivery connection as aforesaid while connecting the inlet of the :fan to the operating chamber to circulate the medium ina state of plenum.

2.1n combination, an operating chamber, a fan, and controlling means adapted, in one position, to connect the inlet. of the fan to the operating chamber to produce a rarefaction therein, and, in another posi tion, to maintain the suction connection as aforesaid while connecting the delivery of the fan to the operating chamber tocirculatev the medium in a state of rarefaction- 3. In combination, an operating chamber, a fan, and controlling means adapted, in

one position, to connect the delivery of the fan to the operating chamber to establish a plenum therein, in another position to maintain the delivery connection as aforesaid while connecting the inlet of the fan to the operating chamber to circulate the medium ina state of plenum, in a further position to disconnect the delivery of the fan from ,theroperating chamber while maintaining the inl'et connection as aforesaid to produce rarefaction ln'the operating chamber in a "still further position toagain connect the delivery of the fan to 'the op'era-tingchamber while maintaining the inlet coni 'nection to circulate the medium a state 'ofraretaction. I

4t;- In eombinatioman operatin chamber,

. a fa n adaptedto have-its 'jsucti'on and-delivery connected to different parts of the chamber and controlling means a'dapted,\in one position, to connec-t'thei deli-very ofthe fan to one p'art of the'chamberwhile 'di-sconnecting the "suction therefrom in order to. establish a plenum in the cham'b'er, in an other position to connect both the delivery and suction to the chamber toxcircula-tethe imegdiumuin astate of plenum in the' same direction as that adopted in -establishing'fthe plenum-,and in yet 'anotherposition to reverse the connection ofthe deliveryand suctron of the fan to the parts of thechamber in ord'er to reverse the direction-of such circulatioin I :5. In combination, an operating chamber, a .fan adapted to have its" suction andgd liveryconnected to differentjparts'of-the chamber and controllingmeans adapted, in

one "position to connect the delivery'of thefan. to one part-of tlie chamber while disconnecting the suction therefrom in. 1 order;

to establish a plenuni in the chamber, in

another position to connect both the delivery and suction to the= chamber.to circulate the medium in a state of plenum in the same di rection as that adopted in establishing the v plenunigw ina third positionto reverse the connection of the ClGllVBlY" andv suc tion of in a fourth position to disconnect the delivery ofthe fan from the operating chamber while maintaining the inlet connection lastthe'fan tothe parts of the chamber in order to reverse the directlon of'suchclrculationg referred to in order to produce a rarefac tion inthe operating'chainber, in a fifth po-Q sition to againconnect the delivery of the fan to the operating" chamber, while maintaining the inlet connection, tocirculate the medium in a state of rarefactionan'd in a final position totreverse thec'onnections of the delivery and suction of the fan to thedelivery chamber to reversethe directionof circulation of the fluid medium in a state of'rarefaction.

6'. In combination, an operating chamber,

a fan, a controller casing having'branches conncctedto separate. parts of the' operating chamber, branches 1 connected res'pec-e tively to the suction and delivery ofthe fan and independent inlet and exhaust branches, ,and'a controller in said caslng comprising bUCKel', valves adapted at one time to connect the fan suction branch to the independ-j I ent inlet branch, atanother timeto connect the fan delivery branch to the independent,

operating chamber, branches connected re- "spectively to the'suctionand delivery of the branch to. the independent inlet branch, at another tim'e to V connectvthe fan delivery branch to the independent ou'tlet branch and at still another time to-interrupt both outlet branchand-at still another tiineit'o interrupt bath such connections. 7. In combination, an operating chamber, a "fan, a controller. casing having 1 branches connected; to separate parts of theoperating chamber, branches connected respectively to the-suctionand delivery of the fan and in dependent inlet "and exhaust branches and a her, a fan, a" controller"casing having'.

branches connected to separate parts of the fan]and-independent inlet and exhaust braneheabucket valves in said casing adapt ed,-- at onetime, to connect the fan suction such connections, and bucket valves assobiated with cross connected passages adapted to establish communication between the, fan

suction and delivery-branches and the branche'slea'ding to separate parts of the op-;

d'e'r, for thepur-po'se specified. a a

"9. An air controller of the kinddeso'ribed, con'iprising a casing, a pair of branches at one sidethereof, an inlet branch and an out let branch constituting a second pairof crating chamber alternately in'reversed or v branches arranged atythe opposite side of 1 the casing, an end wall for the casing having 'an" inlet branch adjacent to'the outlet branch-of the second pair of branches, an ".oppo'siteend wallifor the'cas'ing having an ,outilet branch-adjacent to the inlet branch 0 of the second pair of branches and a rotary carrier having a pair. of bucket valves each "open at one end as well as peripherally in order to successively connect the branches in .thee'ndwalls withtheircompanion outlet and inlet branches vconstituting the second pair thereof. i

' v 10. .An air controller of the kind described, comprising acasing, 'a' paircf branches at one-side thereof, an inlet and an outlet branch constituting a second pair of branches arranged at the opposite side of the casing,

anlend wall for the casinghaving an inlet "branch adjacent to the outlet branch of the aforesaid second pair of branches, an oppoa site end wall for the casing having an outlet branch adjacent to the inlet branch of the aforesaid second pair of branches and :a ro-,

tarycarrier having a pair of bucket valves displaced longitudinally with respect to, the

axis of rotation of the carrier, each bucket valve being open at one end as well as peripherally in order to successively connect the branches in the end walls with their com panion outlet and inlet branches atone side of the casing. o v i 11. An air controller of the kind described, comprising a casing, a pair of branchesat one side thereof, an inlet and an outlet branch in horizontal alinement at the oppo-- carrier in said casing, a pair of peripherally-- open bucket valves diametrically arranged with respect to the axis of rotation of the carrier but displaced longitudinally with'respect to such aXis and each having an end open to register with one end of one of the cross connecting ducts between the twin part1t10ns, and a s1m1lar pair of bucket valves bilaterally symmetrical with the aforesaid pair of valves and associated with the other cross connecting duct so that their open ends simultaneously register with its ends. 12. An air controller of the kind described, comprising a casing, a pair of branches at one side thereof, an inlet and an outlet branch in horizontal alinement at the opposite side of the casing, an end wall for the casing having aninlet branch adjacent to and in horizontal alinement with the outlet branch of the aforesaid pair of alined branches, an opposite end wall for the casing having an outlet branch adjacent to and in horizontal alinementwith the inlet branch of the aforesaid pair of alined branches, a rotary carrier having a pair of bucket valves diametrically arranged with respect to the axis of rotation of the carrier but displaced longitudinally with respect to i said axis, each bucket valve being openat one end as well as peripherally in order to successively connect the branches in the end walls with their companion branches of the alined pair at one side of the casing, twin partitions in the casing separating the bucket valves aforesaid and each having a pair of alined ports, ducts cross connecting such ports, a further pair of bucket valves similarto-those aforesaid but angularly displaced with respect thereto and each having an end open to register with one end of one of the cross connecting ducts between the partitions,and a still further pair of bucket valves bilaterally symmetrical with the last named pair of valves and associated with the other cross connected duct so that their open ends simultaneously register with its ends. Signed at London England this 27th day of March 1912.

THOMAS GIBBONS MARLOW. Witnesses:

R. WESTACOTT,

O. J. WORTH.

copiel of this patent may be obtained fornve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

